Museums, Zoos and Parks NAICS 7121

Jul 29, 2025 - Met Sees Rising Attendance in 2025

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art saw attendance grow 5% in its 2025 fiscal year, reaching 5.7 million visitors, compared to 2024, with the success of two landmark exhibitions, according to Art Forum. The attendance shows a recovery post pandemic, though the museum has not yet reached its 2019 attendance level of 7 million. The museum, which also includes its Cloisters location further uptown, posted an increase in visitors from New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey, representing a 109% recovery rate since the pandemic. Its “Sargent and Paris” exhibition attracted 427,000 guests, and its Costume Institute’s "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” brought in 291,000 visitors. Meanwhile, other museums are struggling. Attributed to attendance declines and broader financial troubles, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art laid off 7.5% of its workforce (29 positions) in May 2025, followed by 5% staff layoffs in July at the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco.
• Arts, Entertainment & Recreation is one of 10 industries reporting growth in June’s Services ISM Report on Business. Executives in the Arts, Entertainment & Recreation industry reported an increase in business activity in the month, while reporting no changes in new orders. No industries reported a decrease in prices paid for materials and services in June 2025; June’s Prices Index is the second highest reading since November 2022. Additional industries reporting growth during the period were Other Services; Transportation & Warehousing; Utilities; Management of Companies & Support Services; Wholesale Trade; Public Administration; Retail Trade; Information; and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing. Six industries reporting contraction during the period were Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting; Construction; Mining; Health Care & Social Assistance; Professional, Scientific & Technical Services; and Educational Services. Overall, economic activity in the services sector grew in June after a contraction in May, with the Services PMI registering 50.8%.

• Sales for the US museums, zoos, and parks industry are projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.73% between 2025 and 2029, faster than the overall economy's projected growth, according to a forecast from Inforum and the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc. Spending by US households and tourists, foreign students, and other visitors largely drives the arts, entertainment, and recreation industries. According to the forecast, real spending for museum and libraries has experienced a steady recovery since the pandemic, with gains of 12.5% in Q3 2024. Consumer confidence is expected to improve in the forecast period, which bodes well for the sector. A factor that may curb consumer spending is substantially higher tariffs on consumer goods. Lower inflation supports a moderate increase of real disposable income by about 2% in 2025 and 1.9% in 2026. Real income could suffer if average prices rise due to tariff implementation.
• Consumer confidence levels, an indicator of discretionary spending, increased in July 2025 month over month, rising by 2 points, according to the Consumer Confidence Index. Consumer confidence levels have stabilized since May but remain lower than last year’s levels, according to The Conference Board, which publishes the monthly index. July’s gain can be attributed to consumers over 35 years old and shared across all income groups, except the lowest income group earning below $15K. In addition, the consumer sentiment index from the University of Michigan increased in July 2025, rising to 61.8 in preliminary July data from 60.7 in June, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. July’s inflation expectation results were lower than June’s, when respondents expected a 5% price increase for the coming year. The index serves as a predictor of consumer spending as it indicates consumers’ perception of their financial prospects and the broader economy.